Education executive director Sanet Steenkamp has appealed to parents to ensure that pupils safely get to and from school, saying the onus rests on their shoulders.
She said it is also imperative for teachers at schools to ensure that learners are picked up and handed over to those tasked with picking them up, especially the younger ones.
Steenkamp was reacting to an incident of an eight-year-old girl who got lost whilst walking back home from the Fidel Castro Primary School on the first day of school on Monday. She was taken to the Katutura police station, but has since been reunited with her family.
The ED noted that the ministry has received notices of learners getting lost from schools, or those who are not picked up after classes have ended.
“Apart from the role of teachers, it is the full responsibility of the parent or the guardian to make sure that if they have made any arrangements with any person to pick up their children, that is clearly communicated to the school or a particular teacher, and that they are only handed over to the rightful person,” stated Steenkamp.
She added: “We must also guard against parents not making the required arrangements in a timely fashion. So, it is critical that parents organise and ensure that children are picked up at a given time.”
The career educator furthermore emphasised that parents need to be cognisant of the fact that their children’s safety is of paramount importance, and that no child should get lost going or coming from school.
“As close-knit families and communities, we need to make sure that we put precautionary measures for our children to reach home safely, and that nobody is traumatised,” said the ED.
She further called on parents to be hands-on as far as their children’s education is concerned, establish consistent working relations with the teachers, and ensure a smooth academic year.
Photo: Steenkamp